CLANNAD クラナド: Summer Dreams
by Choco Scorpion Bat
Summary: SUMMARY UPDATE: Takes place after Tomoya moves in with Nagisa in Season 1 of Clannad, and after summer break takes place in Season 2. This is how their summer went in between the episodes. Tell me if the rating needs to be higher. Please R&R! Slight AU/OC
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing anime drama/romance, but I sure wish I did.

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Prologue

The Hill Where the Cherry Blossoms Bloom

I hated this town. I still do. I may have been born here, but this godforesaken place held only bad memories for me. Until I met her. Nagisa Furukawa. She was small for her age. She was a year older than me, but I was about a foot taller. We were in our senior year at Hikarisaka High School. She had nobody she could call a friend, because all her friends graduated, leaving her behind. Because of an illness that lasted nine months, she'd had to repeat her senior year.

We met at the bottom of a hillside path in front of the school. She was just standing there, alone. Her hair was a striking red color, and stopped just short of her shoulders. For some reason, my hair was the color a blueberry, God forbid. Then, she spoke.

"Anpan!"

I stopped in my tracks. Anpan? Then, she said something else.

"Do you like this school?"

I decided that she couldn't be talking to me. She was probably speaking to someone in her heart.

"I like it very, very much!"

Good for you, then. That was when I noticed that she had two strands of hair that popped out like antennae. Strange. I opened my mouth to speak, but this girl wasn't done.

"But nothing stays the same. Fun things...happy things. It always changes. They never stay the same. Even so, do you think you could still love this place?"

She had a high voice, like a small child. I actually kind of liked it. Finally, I spoke up.

"Then go find them. Go find the fun and happy things."

The girl jumped, as if she had received a painful shock, and turned to face me. A breeze threw pink and white cherry blossoms around her. She was beautiful, with large, honey eyes and rosy cheeks. Her eyebrows were fine and she had a small button nose. For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about how adorable she looked. I moved forward.

"You comin'?"

Side by side, we walked up the cherry blossom hill to school. That was how Nagisa Furukawa and I met. On the hill where the cherry blossoms bloom.

...

クラナド

...

Okay! That's the prologue! Chapter 1 is on its way! I know you avid Clannad fans can't wait to see what drama I have in store for you! BUT! You have to! Don't worry though! I'm sure I can deliver! Until next time!


	2. Chapter 1: Bread and Blushes

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing anime drama/romance, but I sure wish I did.

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter 1

Bread and Blushes

Tomoya's P. O. V.

I woke up early. Five o' clock to put it bluntly. The sun had not yet penetrated the darkness. I yawned widely and scratched my head. My eyes were still heavy with sleep. I got up and went to the bathroom to relieve myself. I knew that Nagisa's father would be up by now, working in the shop downstairs. A few months ago, Nagisa had invited me to stay at her house, because my old man and I didn't get along at all. Somehow, she had gotten thrown into the mix. The only condition was that I help out in the bakery. I got dressed for the day and went downstairs to work. Akio had an apron on, and was putting some rolls into the oven.

"Mornin' Sleeping Beauty," he said without looking up.

I grunted a response and put on my apron, attempting to tie it off in the back. I only succeeded in tying my hands together in a knot. I heard a small giggle behind me, and I spun around to see who it was. It was Sanae, Akio's wife

"Here, let me," she offered. She untied my hands and made a neat little bow.

"Thanks," I said.

Sanae smiled and picked up a large, wooden spoon. Uh oh. Sanae was about to make another one of her creations. What would it be today? I blanched at the thought. Sanae noticed.

"Okazaki? Is something wrong?" she asked.

I popped back into reality.

"Oh. No, I'm fine" I said. I grabbed a tray, and began kneading dough. Nagisa's family was too kind to me. I sometime's felt guilty, though they constantly reassured me that they took pleasure in my staying with them. My thoughts eventually strayed. Nagisa. I thought about her large, honey colored eyes. They were very beautiful. They glittered, filled with such innocence, and a type of sadness, yet also with hope. One could get lost in them. She opened her mouth.

"Tomoya," she whispered.

Then I jerked back into reality. I looked at my bread. An arm was sticking out of it. I followed it. Sanae's.

"Sorry," I said. Sanae smiled. Akio howled with laughter. I threw a ladle at his face, then left the bakery and went upstairs.

I wasn't watching and bumped into someone. Nagisa.

"Oh! Sorry! Sorry, Nagisa," I muttered.

She muttered an apology, too. She wasn't fully awake, yet. Her eyes were half closed, attempting to block out the dawn's light. She was wearing a pink nightie and rubbing her eyes, yawning. She looked so cute. I had a sudden urge to grab her, hold her, protect her.

"Tomoya?" she whispered. She gave a large yawn and looked up at me. Her eyes fluttered, fighting to stay open. She looked so tired, I couldn't help but wonder if she had gotten any sleep at all last night.

"Yeah?" I responded.

"Hold me," she said. With that, she fell into my arms.

Nagisa's P. O. V.

I woke up with my head on something soft, but firm. I felt something on my head, and realized it was a hand. I then knew I was on somebody's lap. That somebody was slowly and gently rubbing my head. It felt so nice and I kept my eyes closed. I moaned in pleasure when that person rubbed a particularly sensitive spot on my head. The rubbing stopped.

"You're awake?"

My eyes snapped open and I rolled over onto my back. Tomoya! I then realized that I was still in my nightie. I thought about the moan that had escaped my lips barely thirty seconds ago and reddened, my eyes widening in embarrassment. My lips tightened as I felt the all too familiar sensation of wanting to break into tears wash over me. Tomoya looked confused.

"Did I...do something?" he asked, suddenly taking his hands off of my head. I shook my head slowly. He must've thought about the moan, too, because he smiled gently and brushed away a stray hair.

"Are you embarrassed because you moaned?" he asked, gently touching my face.

"Yes," I muttered, covering my face with my hands. The long sleeves of my nightie went past my hands. I'm sure Tomoya thought this, combined with my reaction, was adorable. He gently pushed my hands away. I was still extremely red.

"Don't be," he said, smiling. "I liked it. It was cute!"

My eyes grew wide. Cute! He thought it was cute! I smiled slightly and put his hand on my head. He took the cue and rubbed gently. I closed my eyes and giggled quietly. I sighed in pleasure, and burning sensation in my face lessened considerably. Tomoya hit the spot and I moaned again. I opened one eye to see Tomota's reaction. He just smiled and rubbed. I smiled back.

"I-" I began. Tomoya stopped rubbing. I sat up in front of him.

"Better get dressed?" Tomoya finished.

I nodded, feeling red again. I stared at the floor, suddenly feeling very self-conscious of myself. Tomoya lifted my head to look at him. He smiled.

"It looks good on you. Keep it."

I suddenly felt very shy.

"Really?"

"Really."

Tomoya and I looked into each other's eyes. I was lost in his gaze. The deep blue of his iris always captivated me. Inside was an ocean of pain, suffering, and barely controlled rage. But mixed in was a sea of love, caring, and an urge to help others. A knock from the door killed the moment. Tomoya huffed.

"Come in!" he called.

The door slid open and Mom entered. She saw me kneeling before Tomoya . I went so red, my face burned. She smiled and then giggled.

"You two are so lovey dovey!" she commented.

Thank God it wasn't Daddy who came in.

"Actually, Akio wanted me to tell you that the baseball game is in thirty minutes!" she continued.

With that, she left. I looked at Tomoya, who looked at me.

"Uh..." he said.

"We better get ready," I whispered.

"Yeah," he agreed.

I got up and went to my room. I changed into a blue skirt and pink tee and went downstairs. Dad had his usual unlit cigarette in his mouth and a steel baseball bat over his shoulder.

"Well, now! I see my beautiful little girl has finally decided to show us her radiant beauty!" he said cheerfully.

"Dad!" I said, blushing, but inside, I loved it when he doted on me. Eventually, Tomoya came down to join us. Dad smashed him with insults like usual, and Tomoya threw a cup at his face.

"Let's play baseball!" Dad shouted. He ran to the field, whooping like a kid. Tomoya walked with me and my mom.

"He's like a little kid!" Tomoya commented, clearly annoyed. We watched as my dad ran around with bat.

"Yep! That's why I love him!" Mom said, smiling.

"He's crazy!" Tomoya said.

"Tomoya!" I said. Tomoya looked at me as I put on my best pout. He just grinned. He knew I only did that to make him laugh. We reached the field, and the game began.

?  
>...<p>

How was that? Interesting? Cute? Stupid? Leave your reviews so that I'll know whether or not to continue this tale of love! Chapter 3 will be up soon if you guys want it! 


	3. Chapter 2: Baseball and the Blues

A/N: Thanks to those of you who read the previous chapters! Here's Chapter 2! Please Read and Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing anime drama/romance, but I sure wish I did.

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter 2

Baseball and the Blues

Tomoya's P. O. V.

Why I continue to play baseball with this man, I will never know. I just do. He knows I have a bum shoulder, and yet he continually makes me hit. I stood at the home plate, bat held up, ready. I was most likely going to strike out. Sweat ran down my forehead, blurring my vision. My bum shoulder shook with the effort of holding the bat. My eyes strayed to find Nagisa in the dugout, on her feet and cheering me on.

"Come on, Tomoya! You can do it!" she screamed. I also saw Sunohara, Kyou and her twin, Ryou, and Yoshino with her. All right! I'd do my best! For Nagisa. The opposing team's pitcher threw the ball. It was a fast one. Probably about a hundred and ten. I swung...

It went over the trees. I stared, stunned. So did everyone on the field. Akio, on first base, dropped his cigarette. It was silent.

Then everyone cheered.

"Run, Tomoya! Run!" screamed Nagisa.

I ran over first, then second, following Akio, then third, skidding onto the home plate. We won! I got us the game! We won! Kyou, Ryou, Sunohara, Kotomi, Mei, Yoshino, and Sanae all rushed me, hugging me and cheering me on. Akio clapped me on the shoulder.

"You did good...Tomoya," he said, proudly. I couldn't believe it. He finally called me by my name.

"Thanks, Old Man!" I said. He suddenly grabbed me by the collar and got in my face.

"Don't let it go to your head, punk!"

"Dude, you're like, two inches from my face!"

He put me down, and I heard a girl calling my name. It was Nagisa. Everyone parted and allowed her passage. She had an expression of utter joy on her face as she ran towards me. I grabbed her and held her to me. Then I kissed her.

Nagisa's P. O. V.

Tomoya grabbed me and hugged me close. He won the game! Then he kissed me. I was taken by surprise and my eyes grew wide. I didn't know what to do, so I returned the kiss. My eyes involuntarily closed. This was my first time ever being kissed. I loved it! Tomoya tasted like...blueberries! My breath hitched as the kiss continued. We broke apart. The kiss only lasted about thirty seconds, but it felt longer than that. I blushed as I looked at Tomoya. His gaze was filled with joy and love. I looked at my friends. They grinned hugely at me. Sunohara gave me a thumbs up. The gesture was a happy one, but his eyes were filled with pain. I felt a twinge of guilt. Tomoya swept me up and laughed. I joined in, but it wasn't as happy anymore.

That night, after the afterparty was over, Tomoya and I were sitting in his room. Moonlight filtered in through the blinds. I lay in his lap, him rubbing my head, making me feel good.

"You did great, today," I said quietly. I hitched as he reached that spot, and moaned quietly. I loved it when he rubbed that spot on my head, just behind my "antennae" strands, as he liked to call them. Sometimes, he would play with them, flicking them back and forth, or twirling them. I didn't tell him, but that was another thing he did that felt good.

"Thanks. That pitcher was good. I didn't think I'd be able to hit that last ball he threw. My arm actually tingled when I hit it," he said.

"Um, Tomoya?" I said. I wanted to tell him about Sunohara, but I wasn't sure how.

"Yeah, Nagisa?" He stopped rubbing my head and began to play with my hair. Little tingles of pleasure went through my spine.

"Um... It's about Sunohara," I said. Tomoya paused. The pleasure stopped. Then he started up again.

"What about him?" Tomoya asked. There was a strange edge to his voice as he asked that. I hesitated.

"I-I think he loves me," I said softly, squeezing my eyes shut. This time, Tomoya really did stop playing with my hair. I opened my eyes to look at him. He didn't seem angry at all. Rather, what I saw was worse.

Betrayal.

I felt awful for telling him this.

"Tomoya? Are you okay?" I asked. He didn't answer me. I sat up, my between my knees. "Tomo-"

Tomoya grabbed me and threw me into a hug. My hair bobbed, and I gasped. Tomoya trembled as he hugged me. Was he crying? Was he scared?

"Tomoya?"

"Nagisa," he said quietly.

I waited, eyes wide. Tomoya continued to tremble.

"Don't-don't ever leave me, Nagisa! I love you! Nagisa, I love you!"

I gasped quietly, and tears ran down my cheeks. I couldn't return the hug, as my arms were pressed against his chest, but I clenched my fists and buried my head against his shoulders.

"I love you, too, Tomoya!" I said. Tomoya let me go and stared into my eyes. He wiped my tears away.

"Say you'll never leave me, Nagisa!" he said.

"Tomoya," I said.

"Say it! Please! I don't ever want to lose you!"

"I-I'll never leave you, Tomoya! I promise. We'll stay together forever!"

Tomoya smiled. "Yeah."

He kissed me. Once again, I was caught off guard. I closed my eyes halfway and submitted to his sweet taste. My hands clenched again, and my leg muscles tightened. My senses came alive, now that we were alone at last. I grabbed the hem of my skirt and unconsciously played with it. My breathing hitched again as Tomoya leaned in. We broke apart. I gasped and reddened. Tomoya grinned.

"You're easily embarrassed. That's one reason I think you're so cute."

"I looked away. I didn't like where this was headed.

"So, tell me. Am I a good kisser?" he asked. Bingo!

I jerked to stare at him. My hair bobbed violently, and my two hair strands danced. I got very red, indeed.

"W-What?" I asked. Tomoya smirked. He had me, and he knew it.

"Am I a good kisser?"

I looked away. "Y-Yeah, I guess," I said softly. Tomoya leaned in to me. I leaned back, growing redder and redder. I moaned, backing up. That was a mistake.

Tomoya planted another kiss on my lips, leaning in further. I fell back and we broke apart. I was embarrassed. I felt like I had a fever. My breathing hitched as Tomoya hovered above me.

"T-T-T-" I stuttered.

"This is highly awkward for me as well," he said.

"You don't say!"

I turned. Daddy!" I squeaked. 


	4. Chapter 3: A Walk and A Talk

A/N: Thanks to those of you who read the previous chapters! Here's Chapter 2! Please Read and Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing anime drama/romance, but I sure wish I did.

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter 3

A Walk and A Talk

Akio's P. O. V.

"You don't say!" I said, standing in the doorway, shaking in rage. A carving knife was in my hand.

"Daddy!" squeaked Nagisa, shock on her small face.

"Oh crap!" croaked Tomoya.

"I was cutting dough when I heard thumping coming from upstairs. I came to investigate, " I said, my voice quivering from fury. Nagisa gulped, terrified. She had never seen me so furious, before.

"It seems you two were having your own little afterparty!"

"Daddy! It's not like that!" Nagisa whispered. "Yomoya! Tell him!"

Tmoya stood up. "We were just kissing-"

"AARGH!"

Nagisa screamed as I threw my knife at Tomoya. It missed his head by mere inches and stuck in the wall behind him. Tomoya blanched and sat down.

"Daddy! Stop! Stop it!" Nagisa cried. Her shoulders shook as she cried. Little droplets of tears spattered on the floor. I stopped in midswing, ataring at Nagisa in horror. She was on the floor, sobbing.

"Nagisa!" I whispered. I watched as my little girl cried. The fruit of my love, the apple of my eye. The was something in the way she looked at me. With a twinge of horror, I figured it out. It was fear. My own daughter was scared of me! I trembled in regret and looked at her, then stared at my hand. i ran as fast as I could from my home.

How could I do something like this? My own daughter! I ran, not stopping to look back. I kept running, until I couldn't run anymore. I huffed and gasped for breath, hitching. Sweat poured from my forehead, soaking into my tee shirt. I looked up and saw that I was at the neighborhood baseball diamond. The place was deserted.

I breathed deeply, shaking from the exertion. My red hair lay down, matting witth sweat. The two strands of hair that Okazaki ever so affectionately called "antennae strands" stuck up.

"Of course I'd end up here," I huffed. My heart rate had slowed some now. I leaned against a light pole that was flickering. A swarm of gnats and moths crowded the defunct bulb.

"Furukawa-san."

"hmm?" I said as I turned. "Oh. It's just you, punk."

Okazaki just stood there, his hands in his pockets. He stared at the swarm of insects. I got out my pack of cigarettes and popped one in my mouth, lighting it. I exhaled, taking the stick in my fingers.

"You got something to say, berry head?" I said.

Okazaki kicked the gravel. He said nothing.

"Well?" I demanded.

"You scared your daughter pretty badly back there, Old Man."

"Don't remind me, boy!" I spat. Okazaki cringed. I sighed and flicked the cagarette away, grinding it under my shoe. For a fleeting second, I imagined the cigarette as Okazaki's head under my foot.

"What do you want, punk?" I said, harsher than I meant.

"I just wanted to explain things to you."

I raised my head.

"You don't have another knife, do you?" Okazaki said.

"Ka! Baka! I missed on purpose!" I lied. As if I was about to tell my daughter's boyfriend I had tried to kill him!

"We weren't about to do anything, Furukawa-san. You have to believe me."

I raised my chin at this statement.

"I don't have to believe anything, punk. Learn your place!"

"Sorry," Okazaki said. For some reason, this just pissed me off.

I threw a gut punch.

"Are you a man or not!" I shouted. Okazaki threw a right hook, which actually connected. I stumbled, rubbing the spot on my jaw he punched.

"Better," I said, grinning. "Now I'll listen." 


	5. Chapter 4: Reconciliation

A/N: Thanks to those of you who read the previous chapters! Here's Chapter 4! Please Read and Review!

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing anime drama/romance, but I sure wish I did.

A/N 2: Sorry about before with the author notes. I forget to change them, sometimes.

A/N 3: Again, sorry! Anyway, for those of you who don't know Japanese, I'll get out of the way here. "Ka!" means "Ha!". Roughly. "Baka!" means "idiot". "Dango Daikazoku" means "Dumpling Family". Check out the Dangos. They're adorable. Also check out their theme song, which is the same name in Japanese.

SHOUT OUT TIME!

RUBYDRACOGIRL! I LOVED HEARING FROM YOU AGAIN! THANKS FOR THE AWESOME REVIEW! YOU TOTALLY FRICKIN' ROCK!

ANN E. CASAP THANKS FOR THE REVIEW!

Anyway, now that all that's out of the way, here's Chapter 4!

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter 4

Reconciliation

Tomoya's P. O. V.

"We're back!" I called out as Akio and I entered the Furukawa residence. Nobody greeted us until we reached the register. Sanae came in. As usual, she was smiling.

"She's in her crying. She's pretty upset," sanae reported. I could see the tear stains on her apron where Nagisa must've put her head.

"Thanks," I said. Akio made to follow me, but Sanae held his arm.

"Not yet," she said. Akio grunted and left the room.

I climbed the stairs and stopped in front of Nagisa's room. I took a deep breath and knocked.

"Go away!" Nagisa sobbed. I exhaled.

"Nagisa, it's me," I told her quietly. A pause from the other side.

"Tomoya?" came the response.

"Yeah."

I heard her get up and walk slowly to the door. The lock clicked and the door slowly slid open. In the entire time I had been at thre Furukawa's, I had not seen Nagisa's room. The walls were pink. She had...Dangos*. Lots and lots of Dangos. Enough Dangos to make any normal person run screaming. I wasn't any normal person.

I looked down at Nagisa, who had a Dango (go figure!) plush blanket wrapped around her. Even when crying, Nagisa was hopelessly cute. Her face was red from crying, her eyes too. Streaks from her tears trailed her face. She took a shaky breath to compose herself.

"Nagisa?" I said. I had to take this slowly. She immediately burst into tears again. So much for slow. She fell into my arms and gripped me tightly, shaking. I hesitated and put my arms around her.

"T-Tomoya!" she sobbed. "to-Tomoya!" She kept sobbing my name. Seeing her like this broke my heart. But I refused to cry. I gently removed her arms from around my waist and put a hand on her shoulder. I put a finger under her chin and smiled. She gazed at me, looking like she might cry again at any second.

"Nagisa! Don't cry. Anpan*, right?"

She looked confused. Slowly, realization dawned on her. She gave a slight smile.

"Anpan!"

"Anpan."

She hugged me, but I swept her off her feet, instead. Nagisa gasped and gripped me tightly. I smiled at her to let her know that I wouldn't drop her. She returned the smile. I carried her across the room bridal style to the fouton and sat down. I let her rest her head on my lap as I rubbed her hair. She eventually calmed down enough to speak coherent words. I just liked rubbing her hair.

"Akio feels horrible about earlier. He hopes you can forgive him," I said. Nagisa didn't respond. Curious, I looked at her. She was asleep. That urge to protect her was even stronger now. She looked so peaceful, so adorable. I smiled at her sleeping form.

"Ka!" I said, slightly amused."Baka! you wore yourself out!"

Nagisa moaned my name and sighed in her sleep. I wondered what she was dreaming about? I placed one hand under head and the other beneath her slender legs and ever so gently put her on the fouton, pulling her Dango quilt (really?) over her. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Night Nagisa," I whispered. "Sweet dreams."

Nagisa moaned quietly again and said my name once more. I really did wonder what dream she was having. I smiled and silently exited her room. She deserved to rest.

?  
>...<p>

Okay! That was Chapter 4! I am now going to start bolding my A/N and end notes so people won't get confused. Just a few quick words before the next update:

Because of school, I have no idea when updates will be posted, so please, for the love of God, bear with me! I know how some people can be, and it pisses me off! The time span between updates could range from a day to several months. PLEASE BE PATIENT!

Also, I absolutely LOVE the Dangos! I know that may sound wierd, coming from a guy who loves violent movies, but I am an absolute sucker for anything cute or even remotely adorable! Which is one reason I love manga and anime so much.

Thirdly, I will be churning out more manga/anime fics now that I'm back in action! Yay!

Finally, be on the lookout for a new Clannad fic I am currently working on. It centers around the high school life of Ushio! Nagisa and Tomoya's adorable as heck daughter! 


	6. Chapter 5: Fish Pastries

A/N: Thank you so much for bearing with me for this long! I realize that the chapters have gotten many times smaller, and I apologize for that! Don't worry, though! As the story continues, the chapters will get longer. ! may even add a verse or two of the Dango song! Tell me if it's overkill. Seriously. Tell me in a review.

A/N 2: The Dango Family is epicly cute, and so are Nagisa and Kotomi.

A/N 3: I forgot to put this at the end of the last chapter, so I'll put it here. "Anpan" is a Japanese bread with red bean jam filling. It is Nagisa's favorite food, but Tomoya doesn't like it. He still buys it for her all the time, though, lol. I've never had it, but I want to.

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing anime drama/romance, but I sure wish I did.

SHOUT OUT TIME!

RUBYDRACOGIRL! I LOVED HEARING FROM YOU AGAIN! THANKS FOR THE AWESOME REVIEW! YOU TOTALLY FRICKIN' ROCK!

Anyway, now that all that's out of the way, here's Chapter 5!

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter 5

Fish Pastries and the Summer Dance

Nagisa's P. O. V.

When I woke up, it was almost noon. I went downstairs, but nobody was there. I found a note lying on the table and picked it up.

Nagisa,  
>Went out.<br>Be back soon.  
>Tomoya, Mom, and Dad<p>

I sighed and decided to make me some lunch. While I was eating, I saw a new type of bread lying on one of the racks. It fish fish tails sticking out of it. While I was looking, Mom and Dad and Tomoya returned from whereever they went.

"You're up!" Dad said. "Excellent! Go shower the earth with your cuteness!"

"Dad!" I blushed deeply.

"Hey, Tomoya! Let's play baseball with Sanae's bread!" Dad said cheerfully.

"Hey, Dad. Mom's right there!" I told him.

Dad blanched and spun around.

"D'oh! D'aww!" he said, his cigarette falling. Mom teared up.

"So, that's how it is, is it? That's all my bread is to you? Sports equipment to smack around?" she sobbed as she ran out of the bakery. Dad grabbed Tomoya by his collar and got in his face.

"Look what you made me do!"

"You did yourself, Old Man! I had nothing to do with it!" Tomoya said defensively. dad quickly shoved Mom's fish bread in his mouth and ran after her.

"I love 'em, baby! They're delicious!" he shouted, skidding around a corner.

Tomoya and I looked at each other and laughed.

"Hey, Nagisa," he said.

"Yes, Tomoya?" I responded.

Tomoya scratched his ear, clearly nervous. I looked at him, waiting.

"There's a dance at the school this Saturday," he said. My eyes widened, and my mouth opened in delight. A dance! Was he asking me to go?

"Tomoya!" I said.

"Do-Do you want to...go?" he stammered. I found amusement in that. Usually, I was the one stammering.

I responded by kissing him deeply. This time, he was the surprised, but he recovered just as quickly. He pulled me into an embrace, and kissed me back. We exchanged more kisses until the door chimed. We quickly broke apart. Sunohara entered the bakery. He grinned.

"Look who's getting all lovey dovey!" he chimed. Tomoya and I laughed nervously and blushed. Sunohara smirked. "Hey, Okazaki! I finally figured out how to prove Tomoyo's really a guy!"

Tomoya sighed and rubbed his temple.

"Would you just give it up already? Geez!"

Sunohara ignored him. He crossed his arms proudly.

"I'm gonna ask her who she's in love with!"

I blushed so deeply it was painful, and crossed my arms in front of my body. Tomoya frowned, as if contemplating the best course of action.

He punched Sunohara.

"Idiot! You don't ask girls that kind of question! Have you no respect at all for the female sex?"

Sunohara teared up and looked hurt. Now I wanted to cry.

"Tomoya?" I asked quietly. Tomoya stopped fuming, and looked at me.

"Yeah, Nagisa?"

"He respects me. Right, Sunohara?"

Sunohara stopped rubbing the welp on his cheek.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, Nagisa. Sure, I do!"

Tomoya crossed his arms and held his head up.

"Fine! But if you get murdered, don't come crying to me!" he said.

Several hours later...

Tomoya, Sunohara and I stood in the shade of a tree, facing Tomoyo in the park. I was really nervous, because she was easily angered. Sunohara grinned. Tomoyo raised an eyebrow.

"What now?" Tomoyo asked. Tomoya raised a hand.

"Don't ask me! I tried to stop him."

Tomoyo looked at me. I tensed and blushed deeply. Tomoyo sighed and crossed her arms.

"What do you want, Sunohara? I already told you, I'm not a guy!"

Sunohara spoke up.

"Oh yeah? Who's your crush?"

Tomoyo gasped, and jerked, then blushed a brilliant shade of red.

"Jerk! You don't ask girls that kind of question! Have you no respect at all for the female sex?"

With that said, she began to violently kick Sunohara multiple times. She was so fast, it was a blur! Sunohara screamed in pain, and I squeezed my eyes shut. I opened them, and Sunohara was on the ground before me, whimpering like a lost puppy. Tomoyo knelt next to him.

"By the way, since your curious, it's somebody you guys may know," she said mysteriously. Tomoya looked taken aback. I was, too.

"So don't piss me off again!" she added, then looked at Tomoya, who backed away slightly. "Don't worry! I just wanted to ask you something!"

Tomoya relaxed visibly.

"WHat is it?"

"Are you going to the Summer Dance?" she asked. Ouch.

Tomoya looked uncomfortable.

"Uh, yeah."

Tomoyo looked hopeful.

"I'm taking Nagisa," he said.

"Oh! Well then...have fun!" she said. She smiled, but it was forced as she left us. I sighed, feeling bad for her. Nobody would likely pick her as a date for the dance.

"Poor Tomoyo," I said, feeling a little sad.

"Yeah," responded Tomoya. He looked at Sunohara. "Hey, bean bag, get up!"

Sunohara got up, dusting himself off. He had bruises all over his face, and a black eye.

"You know, Tomoya, you can be so cold-hearted."

"You're taking Tomoyo to the Summer Dance, Sunohara," Tomoya said.

"WHAT?" Sunohara shouted. I was just as surprised.

"Why do I have to?" Sunohara asked.

"Because, Tomoyo has nobody to go with, and she's helped the Drama Club a lot, with no thought of reward," Tomoya explained. Then he got close to Sunohara. "And...you brought this upon yourself by harrassing her. And, if you don't, I'll tell everyone we know that you wear pink boxers with hearts on them."

"What?" Sunohara fumed. "That's blackmail!"

"That's life, dude," Tomoya calmly countered. I giggled. I looked at Sunohara.

"Sunohara?" I said. Sunohara turned to look at me. "Please? It's just this one time. I think Tomoyo really deserves this."

Sunohara's features relaxed as I spoke.

"I know you two don't really like each other very much, and maybe won't for a while, but you're still friends. I think it would make Tomoyo very happy, and may even put you on her good side!"

"Nagisa!" Sunohara whispered. "You're right! But I still don't like her!"

"Nobody said you had to, you idiot!" Tomoya grumbled.

Tomoya's P. O. V.

Sunohara may be an idiot, but he can be sincere at times. Nagisa can be pretty amazing with her speeches. Sunohara thumped his chest.

"I'll do it! I'll do it for my lovely Nagisa!" he said.

"Go get 'em, tiger!" I said mockingly. Nagisa blushed and looked away. Sunohara laughed and ran off to find Tomoyo. I grabbed Nagisa's arm.

"Come on! Let's go see how this plays out!"

"But! That would be eavesdropping!" Nagisa protested.

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun!"

I tugged on her arm.

"Uwa!" she said. She sounded so cute when she said that. We ran after Sunohara and hid behind a bush. We watched as Sunohara grabbed Tomoyo's arm.

"What do you want, Sunohara?" she demanded.

"Will you go to the dance with me?" Sunohara asked.

"What is this? Some kind of a joke?" Tomoyo asked. She glared at Sunohara. He looked terrified. I glanced at Nagisa. She seemed worried for Sunohara's health.

"No! It's not a joke! Nobody else would ask you, so I did. Will you?" Sunohara explained. I was shocked to see what looked to be an expression of hope etched on his face.

"Wha-?" was all Tomoyo said. She seemed genuinely surprised. I gaped when Sunohara fell onto his knees before Tomoyo.

"Please! I'm begging you! I..."

Sunohara looked up. There was an expression of utter sincerity there.

"I think I love you!"

?  
>...<p>

Holy crap! What will happen next? Stay tuned for Chapter 6!

I will be churning out more manga/anime fics now that I'm back in action! Yay!

Finally, be on the lookout for a new Clannad fic I am currently working on. It centers around the high school life of Ushio! Nagisa and Tomoya's adorable as heck daughter! 


	7. Chapter 6: The Dance and Confessions

**A/N: I recently got a message from one of my biggest fans here on FF. Apparently, her life has taken a momentary downward turn for the worse. As a result, I am posting this particular chapter especially for her. She is an avid fan of my stories and a good friend here on FF. Not only does she put aside time to review ALL of my stories whenever she can, but she was also the FIRST one to review my very first story on FF, AVP: War.**

**I sincerely thank you, RubyDracoGirl, for your continued support, even when I am away for somths on end, and I do hope that you continue to love my stories for as long as I keep writing them. May your life get better soon.**

**I also hope that this particular chapter brightens your day, even if only for a moment. That is my sincere wish as I type this sentence.**

**This chapter is for you, RubyDracoGirl.**

**A/N 2: Also, any who stuck with me during this time need to head over to RubyDracoGirl's FF page and read her stories. She is an amazing author and deserves this, the amount of time she has put aside for my work. Do it! If you know what's good for you...**

Here's Chapter 6!

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter6

The Dance and Confessions

Nasisa's P. O. V.

I was shocked. I never would've guessed that Sunohara harbored a secret crush for Tomoyo! Tomoya was probably expecting a beat down when Sunohara asked Tomoyo to the dance. Neither of us expected her to cry and accept! Sunohara even less. The day of the dance finally arrived, and I was jittery as could be. I found my best and cutest dress I could, and quickly changed, smoothing out the wrinkles. Mom did my hair, gently combing it until it shined, getting out every knot she could find. After the preperations were complete, she hugged me and gazed at my image in the mirror.

"Nagisa, you look absolutely stunning!" she doted. I closed my eyes and giggled.

"It's all because of you, Mom!"

She got up.

"Come! Let's go show your father and Tomoya!"

"Okay!" I said. I couldn't wait for Tomoya to see me. Mom guided me downstairs and into the tiny bakery, where Dad and Tomoya stood waiting for me. Tomoya looked so handsome in his suit and tie. His hair was messed up as always, though. His hands were behind his back, and he was smiling.

"Wow. Nagisa, you look beautiful!" he breathed. Dad turned to look. His eyes seemed to pop.

"Nagisa! Look amazing!"

I blushed.

"Ready?" I asked. Tomoya grinned.

"As I'll ever be!" he said. He took my hand and led me to the door, holding it open. I giggled.

"Hey, punk!" Dad called. Tomoya paused. "Protect my daughter."

"You know I will," Tomoya replied.

I waited until Tomoya caught up with me, then we continued walking in the direction of the school.

"Nagisa," Tomoya said.

We stopped walking.

Yeah?"

"Close your eyes for a second, okay?"

I did.

"Okay. Open them."

Held before me was a black box with ear rings. Wait. Dango ear rings! I gasped in delight, and my heart swelled. I covered my mouth and gazed up at Tomoya, tears welling up.

"T-Tomoya! How did you-?"

He smiled.

"All my savings from working in your family's bakery," he said. "I love you, Nagisa."

The tears finally fell. Tomoya's smile vanished.

"What's wrong, Nagisa? Why are you crying?"

I wiped my eyes and smiled.

"I-It's just...all of your money. For someone like me? Why?"

Tomoya looked confused.

"Because I love you, Nagisa. You're the only one for me."

I chuckled and sighed. Tomoya took the tiny ear rings out of the box and put them on me.

"Perfect. You look beautiful, you know that? Cute as a button!"

He took my hand, and led the way to the high school. Soon, we came up on the hill where we first met.

"Tomoya?"

"Yes?"

"Stay with me?"

"Always."

Very soon, we reached the high school. The courtyard was full of students. Paper lanterns were strung up all over the place. I clung to Tomoya, suddenly feeling claustrophobic.

"You all right, Nagisa?" Tomoya asked. I nodded.

"I'm okay," I reassured him.

"Hey, let's find Sunohara and Tomoyo," he suggested. I nodded.

We pushed through the crowd of people, searching for Sunohara and his date. We eventually found Sunohara at the snack table. He was dishing out punch into a cup when we found him.

Tomoya tapped him on the shoulder.

"Sunohara!"

Sunohara turned around, a sugar stick hanging out of his mouth.

"Wassup?"

"Where's Tomoyo?" asked a curious Tomoya. Sunohara stared at me, struck dumb. I blushed. Sunohara shook his head and pointed in the direction of the school entrance.

"Over there, somewhere. I think she's talking with some of her girlfriends about the upcoming student body council reelections, or something like that," said Sunohara.

All of a sudden, the DJ put on dance music. The huge crowd began to cheer and dance. Someone bumped me and didn't apologize. Tomoya grabbed me to keep me from falling into the punch.

"Some people are so rude!" I said.

"Wanna dance?" Tomoya asked as the music slid into a slow song. I nodded, and Tomoya led me to the floor.

Tomoya's P. O. V.

I grabbed Nagisa's hand and waist, and gulped. I wasn't the best dancer in the world. How would she react? Weren't girls supposed to be better? I didn't know if that was true or not. I began to sweat. Nagisa gazed at me in curiousity, her head tilted to the side in that cute manner. I gulped again. Darn it! Why did she have to be so cute? It was driving me nuts!

"Tomoya? Are you okay? You look really nervous," she said.

"I-Is it that obvious?" I asked.

Nagisa giggled and I smiled.

"It's okay," she reassured me. "I'm not a very good dancer, either!"

She smiled and we began our little waltz. Contrary to what she said, I thought she was a magnificent dancer. She looked so beautiful, twirling around her dress. She stumbled and fell forward. I caught her and grinned.

"Sorry!" she groaned.

"Don't be," I laughed. "You're pretty good. Besides..."

I lifted her chin so I could see her honey eyes. They glittered, and seemed to quake with innocence in the light of the paper lanterns. She seemed to instantly grow more beautiful.

"You need to have more confidence in yourself, Nagisa."

She looked away.

"I'll go get us some drinks," I suggested. Nagisa nodded, and I stalked off.

When I arrived at the snack table, Sunohara had filled a plate with a wide variety of food, some of which looked poisonous to the human race. I stared at Sunohara. He stared back.

"One day, the world as we know it will end," I said.

"How?" asked Sunohara, captivated by my awesomeness.

"Because of you and your gluttonous appetite," I stated simply and walked away to be with Nagisa. Sunohara stared after me. Nagisa looked at my enpty hands.

"No punch?" she asked, slightly disappointed.

"No punch," I said. "Come on, I'll walk with you, instead."

"No! You don't have to do that!" she protested, as I dragged her off.

"Yes, I do!"

Nagisa squealed as I pulled her away from the dance and into a quiet area. Hardly anyone was here. A few paper lanterns were strung up here and there. Nagisa held her hands up to her chest.

"Tomoya, what was that all about?" she asked me.

"The truth is, Sunohara was planning to prank you, so I dragged you out here."

"Oh!" nagisa said, fairly surprised. "Well, thank you!"

Man! Nagisa was super cute, but she could be so gullible sometimes!" I guess that's part of why I loved her so much. We were just standing there, lost in each other's gaze, when a group of senior sauntered up.

"Well now! Look at what we have here!" said the middle one. He must've been their leader. He was barrel-chested, and his suit was dirty. I could smell his rank breath from here. sake. "Getting all mushy, are we?"

"Do you need something?" I asked calmly. I had to take this slowly. Alcoholics could get violent. I should know. The middle one flared.

"I need you to shut your mouth!"

"Don't talk to him like that!" Nagisa said, her voice quivering slightly from fear.

"Nagisa, don't!" I cautioned her. "Come on. Let's go, they're not worth it."

"Okay," she said quietly. She wrapped her arms around me and started walking.

Suddenly, the guy with the rank breath grabbed Nagisa and spun her around. She yelped in surprise and fear.

"Nagisa!"

The drunk student grabbed her arms and pinned them to her sides, and lifted her with ease. She only weighed about 85-95 pounds. Nagisa whimpered. I knew that whimper. She had made that same sound when she got injured at the tennis match. It was fear.

She was in pain.

Suddenly, there was a bright light...

?

**I know! I know! Maddening cliff hanger, right? I love doing that to you guys! Sorry! Can't help it! Anyway, please leave a review! Rub'! What did you think? Give me a good, long review!**

**A/N: Only 2 chapters left, and this will be my fourth completed story on FF! Holy crap! It's actually kind of sad, ya know? I've really enjoyed working on this.**

**Be on the lookout for a new Clannad fic I am currently working on. It centers around the high school life of Ushio! Nagisa and Tomoya's adorable as heck daughter!**

**I will also being more one-shots about various movies, but mostly about the characters in Clannad. Keep a lookout!**


	8. Chapter 7: The Incident

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! I see that my story is really picking up with the Clannad fans! Yay! This chapter is going to be fairly intense, so try to keep up! Also, a random event happens, lol.**

**A/N 2: One more chapter, and this tale will be finished! Can you believe it? I've only been writing for a few days, and it's already almost over! Actually, I've only posting for a few days. I've really had this story in my head ever since I discovered Clannad months ago, lol. I only started writing it a couple weeks ago. **

**Here's Chapter 7!**

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter 7

The Incident In the School Garden

Nasisa's P. O. V.

I was in pain. Very much pain. The student who grabbed me was huge and stank of sake. I was also terrified. Suddenly, a bright light appeared. I was momentarily blinded.

"Fuko-chan!" I gasped.

"Nagisa!" she said. "I have come to help!"

I couldn't see any way that Fuko could help. She was smaller than me (I'm pretty small for my age), and she didn't seem to realize that the jock that held me could easily murder her with no effort!

"Time for my special technique!" Fuko said, determination in her eyes. "Startfish heat!"

One of the jocks stared at her, confused.

"What the hell?" he said.

Then she noticed. Her eyes grew wide.

"Oh. Um, I cannot help you today, but maybe I can appear in your future!" she said, and ran off.

The jock squeezed me tighter, causing me to cry out in pain. Tears stung my eyes, and rolled down my cheeks. The pain was intense.

"I said, where did you think you were going?" he growled. "I wasn't done talking to you!"

"I'm-I'm sorry!" I sobbed. The paper lanterns illuminated my tear streaked face. The jock leaned in closer. I leaned as far back as I could, turning my face away.

"You're kinda cute," the jock breathed. "How 'bout you let me play with you a bit, huh?"

I moaned again. That was a big mistake. The jock threw me to the ground and grabbed my hair.

"Tomoya!" I screamed. I didn't need to. He was at my side instantly. I guess he was also blinded by the flash, and as a result, couldn't see me.

"That's enough!" he growled furiously. I had never seen him so angry. His eyes were clouded with black hate and righteous fury. I was on the ground, supported by Tomoya. I shook from pain and fear.

"Yeah, seriously, Jinta," one of the jock's friends said. "Can't you see she's scared?"

"Shut up!" Jinta shouted. He made to grab me.

"NO!" Tomoya shouted.

All of a sudden, Jinta was on the ground, being punched furiously by Tomoya and...

"Sunohara!" I gasped. Sunohara was furious. He had murder in his eyes as he pounded Jinta.

"Don't you dare touch Nagisa again!" he screamed, and punched Jinta in the nose. Blood spattered Sunohara.

Jinta's friends made to grab Tomoya and Sunohara.

"No!" I cried. Suddenly, they, too, were attacked. Tomoyo and Ktou had entered the fray.

"how dare you lay a finger on Nagisa!" Kyou screamed in rage as she side-kicked the one on the right into the bushes. "Go eat dirt!"

Tomoyo apun and round house kicked the other into the bushes with him.

"And you can join him!" she said.

Tomoya and Sunohara were thrown off of Jinta. Jinta grabbed Tomoya's arm and twisted. Tomoya screamed as his arm was snapped in two. Jinta back handed him and went for Sunohara. He paled and backed off. Tomoyo was there in seconds, and front kicked Jinta into a tree. As always, an amazing kick.

"Don't touch my date!" she said, ice dripping from every word.

"Nagisa! Check Nagisa!" Tomoya groaned when Kyou went to him.

"But, your arm!" she protested.

"Check Nagisa!" he shouted.

Kyou gasped and nodded. Tomoya followed her over to me.

"Are you okay, Nagisa?" he asked, kneeling beside me. I just started crying.

"Y-your arm!" I sobbed.

"I'm more worried about you," he said. He had now gone deathly white from the pain.

"I-I-I'm sorry!" I cried. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault. If anything, I'm the one who should apologize. I brought us here."

"You got that right," Kyou said.

"Would you shut up!" Tomoya said.

I laughed slightly, and Tomoya and Kyou smiled. Sunohara rushed over, accompanied by Tomoyo.

"Nagisa! Okazaki! are you all right?"

He noticed Tomoya's arm and paled.

"Your arm!"

Tomoya shook his head.

"I think I need to get Nagisa home. Thanks for helping."

"We're friends. We help each other," Tomoyo said. "I needed to vent a little, anyway."

Tomoya helped me up, but I fell to the ground.

"Nagisa!" Tomoya shouted.

"T-Tomoya?" I moaned. My vision blurred. "I-It hurts!"

I moaned and clutched my side. I hitched and started crying. It hurt so bad!

"Nagisa!" Tomoya shouted again. He dropped to his knees and took off his jacket as best he could with his arm. He ripped the sleeve of his shirt and wrapped it around his arm. I moaned again.

"Come on, Nagisa! Hang in there!" Sunohara coaxed. My breathing hitched again.

"Tomoya," I moaned.

Before I knew it, Tomoya had me in his arms, his coat covering me, running.

"Out of the way!" Tomoyo shouted as we ran through the crowd.

"Come on, Nagisa!" Tomoya said to me. "Hang in there!"

?

* * *

><p><strong>Yet another maddening cliffhanger!<strong> ***cue evil laughter* Anywhos, drop a good long review for this one. I expect longer ones now, lol. One more chapter to go. It's actually kind of sad. *depression* Oh well! After I write the final chapter, keep a lookout for...BOOK 2! That's write! Get it? Write, right? Never mind my cliche joke. Anyway, look forward to reading a synopsis of it next chapter...**

I have decided to drop the high school Ushio concept and delve into her childhood from the birth and go from there. Book 2 is her birth to when she is five and moves in with her father. Book 3 will be her high school life. I know. It's utter torture, isn't it? I expect your opinions of this idea of me writing two more books in your reviews. I'm not kidding. Tell me. Now. LOL.

Lastly, read my Clannad one-shot, Taste of A Strawberry and drop a review if you want to. Arigato! LOL again.


	9. Chapter 8: Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing anime drama/romance, but I sure wish I did.

A/N: So, you guys made this far, huh? Congradulations! That just goes to show how much patience can reward you! Lol. Anyway, thanks a lot for sticking with me this long. I bet I killed you guys with the long wait for the ending, huh? Patience is a virtue. It has rewarded you, indeed. LOL again. ANYWAY...In this chapter, we delve into the past to Nagisa and Tomoya's friendship and find out HOW they ended up boyfriend and girlfriend! Yay! I bet you avid Clannad fans were dying to find THAT out!

This chapter actually starts out sort of depressing, though. It gradually gets more and more hilarious, then sort of serious again. Just try to keep up, will ya?

SHOUT OUT TIME!

1. RubyDracoGirl. I've said about a gazillion and a half time before, I'm saying it again: I totally love you and your amazing stories. They make me feel all bubbly inside. I am so lucky as a person and an author to have you as a friend. I don't think I could write such epic stories without you there to push me on. Thanks for your friendship and fandom. You truly are my biggest fan on FF. Plus, your the only one who truly reviewed 99.9% of my stories, lol.

2. Air1997. Thanks for the reviews and encouragement. You totally rock. I reviewed Time After Time. You have really improved. I look forward to reading your next update! Keep up the good work! And you should continue to write more Clannad fics! One other thing: Please add info about you and your likes on your author page. The mysteriousness is murder to me! LOL.

3. Everyone else who reviewed my story. Thanks a lot guys! Appreciate it!

Now, the conclusion to this epic...

Clannad

-Summer Dreams-

By Predy96

Chapter 8

Aftermath and Memories

Tomoya's P. O. V.

I felt trapped in a nightmare. A horrible, sick nightmare. Nagisa lay in the hospital bed, unmoving, unresponsive. I sat in the chair next to her, my hand resting in hers. She was in a coma. She was stable, but it was doubtful if she would stay that way.

"Nagisa," I moaned. "I'm so sorry!"

The heart rate moniter beeped, a steady pulse echoing throughout the silent room, like a cavernous cathedral. I heaved, holding back my tears as I gazed at her. I never should have taken her to the dance.

After the fight, I had rushed her to the Furukawa's. I ran into the bakery, Nagisa now passed out in my arms. Akio was behind the counter, and took Nagisa away from me. Pain flared in my snapped arm when he did. I sank to my knees, clutching my useless arm in agony.

"SANAE!" Akio screamed. "CALL AN AMBULANCE! SANAE!"

Sanae rushed into the room and gasped in horror. She then rushed out and called the hospital. I'd never seen Akio more upset than right then. He tenderly stroked his daughter's cheeks, tears brimming.

"Nagisa! Stay with me! Nagisa!"

Nagisa slipped in and out of consciousness as we waited anxiously for the ambulance to arrive.

Now, here I was, watching the only girl I truly loved sleep, wondering if she would ever awaken again.

"Tomoya."

I started, pulled out of my depressed reverie, and looked up. Nagisa gazed at me, with half opened eyes!

"N-Nagisa! You're awake?" I whispered in shock.

"I guess...I guess I am!" she said quietly, giving a small giggle.

"I was so worried about you!" I said, squeezing her hand, tears blurring my vision.

"Tomoya! You're crying!" Nagisa said.

I laughed and wiped my eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I am!"

Nagisa looked like she was going to cry as well.

"I'm sorry!" she said. I laughed again.

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked.

She looked at me, such innocence pouring out of her eyes.

"Because...I made you worry," she said. I laughed, tears threatening to come again. Nagisa. Who could beat her?

"Baka. It's not your fault. It couldn't be helped!"

I stopped smiling.

"I never should've taken you to that dance," I said, looking at my knees.

Nagisa gasped and spoke.

"Tomoya!" she said. "Don't say that! You'll make me cry!"

Her voice got high at the last sentence.

"But it's true. If I hadn't, you wouldn't be here now."

Her eyes shined with tears.

"It's not your fault, Tomoya! You shouldn't beat yourself up like this!"

I started to speak, but Nagisa pressed on.

"I'm glad you took me to the dance! It was the first time I had ever been to one. I loved it!"

I stared at her, tears rolling down my cheeks, unable to stop them. My shoulders shook. I clenched my fists.

"D-Did you really enjoy it?" I managed.

She lifted my face. I complied.

"Yes."

"Nagisa," I said. That's all I could say.

For a moment, we just sat there in silence.

"You're really cute, you know that?" I said.

Nagisa started and blushed deeply.

"No. I bet there are way cuter girls than me out there!"

I smirked.

"Then explain why I haven't found one other than you?"

Nagisa blushed more and looked away.

"You think so?" she asked.

"I know so," I said. Nagisa giggled. Once again, we were quiet.

"Nagisa?" I said.

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember when we first met?"

"Like my own birthday!" she said, cheerfully.

"Excellent. I don't ever want to forget that day. That day..." I paused.

"Yeah?" Nagisa gazed at me. "Tomoya?"

"Sorry. I got lost in thought," I apologized.

"What about that day?" she asked.

"That day...That day, you changed my life. You gave me a new reason for living."

Nagisa gazed at me with a new kind of light in her eyes. I could see that she was being moved by my words.

"Until I met you, my life was like a living Hell for me. Until I met you, I...I hated my life. You revived me, Nagisa. Don't ever forget that," I said.

"Tomoya," she whispered. "I love you."

"I know," I said.

I squeezed her hand, and she returned the gesture.

"I was an outcast. In school and society. Teachers looked at me, and labeled me a delinquent just because I missed classes or arrived late. Students avoided me. You've helped me more than I can imagine. You took me in, and you cared for me when I had nowhere else to go. You gave me a true home, and for that, I thank you. I can't possibly thank you enough."

Nagisa shook her head, albeit weakly.

"You've got it backwards, Tomoya," she said. "You helped me."

"But...I didn't do anything," I protested.

"Not so. When everybody ignored me, you reached out to me. Although you didn't know me at all, you helped me. Remember that day? Two years ago? On the cherry blossom hill? You spoke to me. Do you remember what you said to me?"

I was silent. Of course I did. I let her say it, though.

"You said 'Go find them. Go find all the fun and wonderful things.' I hold these words very close to me, Tomoya. It spurred me on when you spoke to me. You may not realize it, but you have impacted my life in a way nobody else could or can."

She took a breath and continued.

"You say you haven't done anything, but that's not true at all! You became the first true friend I ever had, and that means a lot to me."

She laughed.

"It's kind of funny, you know? A good girl like me, and a crazy delinquent like you? Who would've guessed?"

"Yeah. Who would've guessed? You know, that I think about it, everybody kept thinking that we were going out," I said, laughing.

"Now we are!"

She was quiet, as if she was pondering her next words.

"You helped me revive the Drama Club," she said softly. "Even though you hardly knew me, you still helped, out of the kindness of your heart, with no thought of reward. You even went out of your way to eat lunch with me, when nobody else would. You even introduced me to all of your friends."

"Well, it only seemed natural to," I said. "Do you remember what I said to you that day when we were designing recruitment posters for the Club?"

"Of course! But tell me anyway!"

"The cutest and sweetest girl in the whole school is the club leader!" I said with a grin.

"I was pretty shocked," Nagisa said. "Did you really mean that?"

"Yes," I said, "and I still do."

"That's really sweet. But you can be really mean, sometimes. I remember when you tricked me into thinking that Sunohara was...gay! That was really mean! All he wanted to do was play baskettball, and you kept running away!"

"His reaction was hilarious," I stated. "And yours was adorable. I still can't believe you lied about being my girlfriend. That was awesome," I said. "Miss Goody Two Shoes lied."

Nagisa blushed.

"Yeah."

"Even then, you put others before yourself."

"That's just me, I guess!" Nagisa said with a smile.

"Yeah," I agreed.

Later, the doctors examined Nagisa and gave us the diagnosis: She was going to be okay. I just hoped I was going to be able to attend the next semester with her...

Two years before...

Rage filled my core. It dominated my being, taking over my senses as I ran. I kept running. I had no absolute destination in mind, I just knew I had to get away from that man who called himself my father. He ignores me for years, then gets drunk, and expects me to be okay with it?

Ka! I'd had it.

I slowed, bent over double, sweat dominatiing my vision. I heaved, breathing in the cold air. I looked up. I had arrived back at the Furukawa's residence. Amazing that I could find myself back to this place after having only been here once today. I thought back to the image of my father sitting drunk in that dark room, surrounded by empty sake bottles, and angrily kicked a rock. Eventually, my anger subsided. My eyes met the darkened sign of the bakery. What was the name of the girl who lived here?

Nagisa, right? The unusually quiet, but really cute girl that seemed to stutter constantly. She was insanely shy, but very seet.

"If you wish..."

I spun around. Nagisa was standing under a light.

"Would you like me to take you to the place where wishes come true?"

Yes. Yes, I would.

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